Jonathan Tamari

Jonathan Tamari is the Inquirer’s Washington correspondent. He writes about the lawmakers, politics and policy that affect Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Tamari previously covered the Philadelphia Eagles and the NFL. Before that he worked in Trenton, reporting on the characters and color of New Jersey state government. He lives in Washington.

Booker’s mayoral public schedule includes two events, including one that could raise some eyebrows: Booker and Gov. Christie are appearing together this morning at a ribbon cutting at a major Newark development.

Despite the fact that Booker has vowed to help Democrats defeat Christie, and that Christie has vowed to help Republicans beat Booker, the two stars will share top billing in an event that will bolster their bipartisan credentials just as their campaigns near the home stretch.

Booker, in his capacity as Newark mayor, is also scheduled to cut a ribbon at a new veterans’ apartment building in Newark.

Booker has been out of the state raising money for the Oct. 16 Senate special election (and next year’s race, should he win), but it has taken him off the campaign trail, and a Quinnipiac poll Tuesday showed a closer race than many expect. The survey gave him a 12-point lead over Republican Steve Lonegan -- a comfortable lead, but not as large as many had anticipated.

Booker's Cherry Hill stop will be his first public event in South Jersey since winning the Aug. 13 Democratic Senate primary. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick campaigned for Booker in Willingboro Tuesday.